Hard Call
by Mahala
Summary: A young woman found dead in an alley, a missing child, a missing CSI and a cold night in NY city. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The biting cold wind sent the discarded newspapers whirling into the air, slapping against the damp concrete walls of the dimly-lit alley. Sheldon Hawkes shivered and hitched his collar higher as he picked his way round the numerous puddles heading towards the flashing lights of an ambulance and the group of uniformed police officers standing beside a number of large green dumpsters haphazardly stacked along the wall.

"Hey buddy! Long time no see!". One of the uniformed officers detached himself from the group stepping towards Sheldon, his hand outstretched. "You were quick getting here."

"Danny!" exclaimed Sheldon, breaking into a big smile as he shook the offered hand. "Was in the neighbourhood." he said with a smirk.

"Ah! Let me guess. A romantic evening with the delightful Camille ?" said Danny waggling his eyebrows up and down, a big grin lighting his face.

"Yeah! Great little Italian place Mac told me about. The Fettuccine Parmigiana is out of this world. So what have we got?" The words tumbled out of Sheldon's mouth cutting Danny off before he could delve any deeper into his personal affairs.

Danny grinned and he and Sheldon pushed past the other officers and turned to look at the body of a dark-haired young woman leaning against the far side of one of the dumpsters. Placing his case on the ground, Sheldon pulled gloves from his pocket and began a cursory examination quietly giving voice to his thoughts: "Early-thirties, slim, not unattractive, hair dishevelled with traces of blood on the left hand side, blue wool sweater, jeans and black leather ankle boots, no jewellery, no purse, no coat ...this looks more like a man's coat ..." Lifting a long, black, wool overcoat that had been laid over her Sheldon could see her hands clasped over a blood-soaked cloth that was probably blue before the blood had changed it to a dark crimson colour. Lifting it gently away he could see a small puncture wound. "Single stab wound to the stomach. Looks like she bled out. We got an ID" He sighed at the loss of another young life.

Danny was nodding as he concurred with Sheldon's assessment. "Not yet. 911 got a call 20 minutes ago from Mrs Liebowitz ..." Danny half-turned pointing to a portly lady huddled inside an enormous red overcoat standing to one side talking animatedly to Detective Don Flack who was looking somewhat bemused by the constant stream of words flowing from the woman's mouth and her wildly gesticulating hands.

"She wasn't too coherent. It seems she was on her way to work as the evening cleaner for Beckman and Hansen. Apparently she always uses the side entrance..." continued Danny swivelling on his feet to indicate a door a few feet away. Sheldon followed his gaze and noted a guitar case propped up against the wall. "Odd" he thought his eyebrows knitting together but his attention was redirected back towards Danny as he continued.

"She says she saw three men. One was running away from her in this direction..." Danny paused to point down the alley towards the street where Sheldon could make out an officer standing behind crime scene tape and a number of people standing around talking animately and in particular, one man with dark hair and a moustache straining to see what was going on. He shook his head in disgust at the rubber-neckers and turned back as Danny continued, "...carrying a large bag or bundle. The other two guys were slugging it out here…" Again Danny paused to show Sheldon a spot a few feet away. Flicking on his flash-light the former ME shone the beam over the lid of a metal trash can that had been knocked over, immediately noticing blood on the rim and the handle.

Danny continued : "The second guy yells at her and takes off in the same direction as the first guy. She then notices the vic, ducks into the doorway over there and dials 911. No ID on the vic, no murder weapon. Basically that's all I know. I got my guys seeing if there are other witnesses but as far as I can tell there's only Mrs Talk-yer-ear-off over there"

Sheldon again glanced towards Don who appeared to be trying to stem the flow from the evidently very vocal Mrs Liebowitz. "Okay! I'm confused. So which of our three perps killed her and where's the third guy?"

"Not too clear on that one. Let's see if Flack has managed to glean anything extra." Danny grinned as Flack approached puffing out his cheeks and rolling his eyes.

"Wow can that woman talk!" Don glanced back towards the lady in question who gave him a little smile and waggled her fingers at him. Don smiled briefly and quickly turned back towards Danny and Sheldon, a look of undisguised horror on his face. "Not one word." he ground out as Danny and Sheldon attempted to cover their smirks.

"So Don, what did your new girlfriend have to say for herself? Hope she making more sense than when I talked to her." grinned Danny.

"Get lost Messer! Haven't you got some poor rookie to go torture?"

Before Danny could tease some more, a young officer came up "Sarge?" and Danny turned away but not before nodding at Sheldon and Don who both noticed the rueful look on his face.

"He misses this doesn't he?" asked Don quietly indicating the crime scene with a wave of his hand.

"Yeah, yeah he does! So what did you learn?"

"To be honest, not much more than Danny got out of her when he answered the call. She didn't get a good look at the perps. They were too far away. They had their backs turned to her most of the time. It all happened too fast. Yada yada yada." Don rolled his eyes and flicked back through his notebook before continuing.

"But she was certain that there were three of them, all white males, and of indeterminate age. All with dark hair and dark clothing. The first was running away when she arrived. She's adamant that he was definitely carrying some kind of big bag in his arms as he turned and stopped to watch the other two who were fighting. One guy dressed in a long black coat floors the other with, and I quote, 'one of those cool Ninja moves with a trash can lid just like in the movies." At this point Don stopped to laugh. "I got to put that one in the book" he said referring to the book kept at NYPD recording all of the crazy and amusing statements given by witnesses. "I mean ...a Ninja with a cool trash can move? The guys back at the precinct will love that one." He shook his head in amazement.

Seeing Hawkes' shake of the head and raised eyebrows he cleared his throat and continued. "Then get this, when the third guy goes down she says our Ninja takes off his coat and scarf and bends down by the dumpster. After a few seconds he gets up, looks her straight in the eye, yells at her to call 911 before running off in the same direction as the first guy. She then sees the vic. She was too scared to approach so she ducked into the doorway to make the 911 call. It seems that the third perp must have recovered enough to make his get-away while she looked in her purse for a phone as when she dared to look again he was gone." The look on Don's face was enough to make Sheldon look at the purse in question.

"What has she got in there? The kitchen sink?"

"Doc! You don't want to go there!" Don grimaced as Mrs Liebowitz rummaged in the oversized bag for some obviously much needed item.

"So is our second perp a good guy? I mean, laying his coat over her? Telling her to call 911?"

Don shook his head. "I don't know. It could be a robbery gone bad. She has no purse. No jewellery. No ID. No keys. Maybe the first guy stole her bag, stabbed her and ran off. Then some do-gooder wades in and takes out the other bad guy and goes to help the vic. But why run away? Why not stay with the vic himself and call 911? He could maybe have saved her if he'd have stayed. Doesn't make sense."

"Hey guys. What's up?" Don and Sheldon turned to see Adam or what they assumed was Adam from the voice, the actual person hidden from view behind several layers of garments, a woolly hat and an impossibly long scarf.

"You sure you're dressed warmly enough Adam?" Don sniggered.

"Ah come on. It's like Antarctica. I'm frozen. The wind cuts right through you." whimpered their favourite lab-rat as he cast an eye over the vic and the crime-scene.

"Stop snivelling and start processing. The sooner we get out of here the sooner you can get back to your cozy little trace lab. Besides it looks like rain." Sheldon laughed as Adam continued to hop from foot to foot. "Start with the lid of that trash can over there. It seems that one of our perps was using it Ninja style. You might be able to get a decent set of prints."

"OK … wait ….how do you use the lid of a trash can Ninja style?" asked Adam.

"How come you're out here anyway?" asked Don ignoring the question.

"Oh! Jo called. She and Lindsay haven't quite finished with the bodega robbery over on Weston and she made it very clear that we weren't to call Mac. It's his first night off in over two weeks." Adam put on his best _I'm-almost-as scared-of-Jo-as-I-am-of Mac_ look. "Bet he's home curled up in the warm with a beer watching the Jets game."

Don smiled as Adam continued to grumble to himself about the cold and how he wished he was home. Little did they know that Adam couldn't have been further than the truth.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Sheldon Hawkes stood up and stretched the kink out of his neck.

"Okay Ben we're good to go."

He nodded to the guys from the ME's office that they could take the body. He picked up the evidence bags holding the coat that had been laid over the victim and the scarf that had been pressed over the wound. He placed them next to his case as he examined a third item.

Hawkes glanced at the sky. A light rain was beginning to fall. He shook his head in frustration.

"Hey Adam. How are you doing?Any further evidence is going to be comprised if we don't get a move on." he shouted. Adam looked up from the spot on the ground where he had just taken a sample.

"Almost done. Just want a couple more swabs." he replied. Completing his task he gathered up the evidence into his case.

What do make of this? Think we can get anything useful off it?" Sheldon handed Adam a plastic bag containing a badly damaged mobile phone. "I found it in the Ninja's coat pocket.'

Adam smiled at the temporary names they'd given the perps. Bag Guy, Invisible Man and Ninja. "Mmm." he muttered turning the bag over in his hands. "Should be able to retrieve something off the SIM card – it looks like the casing and the battery housing took the brunt of the damage. I'll see what I can do with it when we get back to the lab."

"Hey." Adam and Sheldon turned to see Danny walking towards them waving a purse in his gloved hand. "One of my guys found her purse. Strap's broken so she must have lost it perhaps running from the perps? Name is Molly Weber, 32 years old. NY driving licence, credit card and about 40 dollars in cash. We've almost completed the canvass – no other witnesses. You guys need anything else. I gotta go. Car accident two blocks over."

Danny handed the purse to Sheldon who put it into an evidence bag that Adam was holding out ready for him.

"Nope we're good, thanks Danny. Let's get going. You ready?" Sheldon asked Adam.

"Oh yeah! Warmth please?"

Barely an hour later Sheldon was back in the lab examining the crime scene photos on a big screen. The clothes from the vic were laid out on the light table next to the coat and scarf, the vics purse and contents still bagged up on the side with other trace from the alley and the guitar case that had been found propped against the wall.

"So what have we got?" A soft southern drawl woke Sheldon from his reverie. He turned to see Jo enter the lab and grab a pair of gloves. Sheldon smiled

"I've got Adam to supervise Cindy processing the lid from a trash can that one of the perps handled." grinned Sheldon nodding to where Adam stood beside a slim young woman with curly blond hair and dimples.

"Why Sheldon Hawkes! If I didn't know better, I'd say you're playing match-maker" drawled Jo glancing at the new young lab tech who was carefully lifting prints from the lid handle under Adam's watchful eye.

Sheldon pretended to be affronted "Would I? Anyway Sid's preliminary examination confirms cause of death. He should have more details on the murder weapon shortly. I have lifted some trace from the vic's clothes and from Ninja's coat..."

"Ninja?" questioned Jo.

"Trash Can Ninja to give him his full name. Well it's better than Perp No2. Besides we're not sure whether he's involved or just a good Samaritan gone AWOL." Sheldon answered. He was about to continue when he noticed some argument between Adam and Cindy.

Jo followed his gaze. "Now look what you've done!" she hissed. They both left layout and crossed the corridor to where Adam could be heard shouting.

"That's not possible. There has to be a mistake. This is not right. Run it again!" he screamed, his arms waving wildly. Cindy appeared to be almost in tears and was about to protest when Jo stepped in.

"Adam calm down. What's wrong?"

"It's not possible. There has to be a mistake" he reiterated as Cindy tried to protest once more. "It can't be right. We've got to run it again."

"Adam! Take a breath. Explain!" Jo stepped in between Adam and Cindy, took him by the shoulders and guided him away from their newest team member who looked as though she was about to break down.

"The prints ..." stammered Adam "The prints from the lid, they're …." he hesitated.

"They're Mac's!"

For what seemed like a long moment there was total silence in the lab. Jo stepped back as though shed been slapped. Hawkes face dropped. "What?"

"The prints I lifted from the handle of the lid got a hit in our Internal Elimination database. They belong to Detective Mac Taylor." Cindy said in a quiet, shaky voice. "There is no mistake."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ten minutes later the entire team minus Adam and Don were assembled in the conference room. Jo was pacing up and down her phone to her ear. She hung up.

"Still no answer. He's not at home. If this is right that's Mac's phone." She turned her back on the room to gaze through the glass partition to where Adam was disassembling the cell phone they'd found. He crossed to a computer and typed in a few commands. The tension in the room was palpable as they waited for the results. It wasn't long before the mood grew heavier as they watched Adam flinch before the computer screen. He threw his hands up and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration before he glanced over to Jo and nodded. Grabbing a print-out he walked into the conference room.

"It's his."

"Dammit." cursed Jo under her breath as she turned back towards the others. "What the hell is he doing?"

Sheldon leaned forward in his seat placing his elbows on the pile of paper in front of him. "Let me get this straight. Mac is our Ninja . We have to assume that he interrupts the murder of Molly Weber, and, being Mac, he tackles one of the perps. He then goes to help Molly, uses his scarf to stem the blood flow. Covers her with his coat and then leaves to chase down the second perp?"

Sheldon paused, his face perplexed, anger and confusion etched into every muscle of his body.

"Why would he do that? Why did he not stay with her and call for backup? He would have known to keep pressure on the wound – he could even have prevented her bleeding out…"

Unwilling to continue that train of thought Sheldon broke off, the doctor in him telling him that remaining with a patient was vital but his faith in his boss and his friend causing him to hesitate. Taking a deep breath he resumed."He might have been able to help her. Surely staying with Molly was more important than chasing down the other perp? But then Mac has to get his man doesn't he?"

For a moment there was utter silence in the room.

"He must have had a reason." determined Jo, her voice barely above a whisper. "But what was he doing in that alley in the first place?"

"Cozy's" answered Lindsay. Everyone turned and stared at her.

"Cozy's" she repeated. "It's only two blocks from the crime scene". At the sea of blank faces she continued. "The guitar that you found in the alley. It must be Mac's – he must have been on his way to play at Cozy's when he came across Molly Weber and her attackers whoever they are."

"I think I can answer that." Don entered the room, a grim look on his face as he'd just caught the end of the conversation and ascertained that Mac was somehow involved. The entire team turned to stare at him.

"I've got one of my guys at the vics apartment. He spoke to her neighbours and the concierge. According to her neighbour who turns out is also her best friend, Molly was once married to one Jethro Mullet, ex-con who got out of jail in Atlanta two months ago."

As he spoke he made eye contact with Adam who quickly typed in the name and a file appeared on the screen. After a couple of clicks on the mouse, a mugshot appeared on one of the large screens at the end of the conference room.

"He has quite a history – everything from grand theft auto to aggravated assault and assault with deadly weapon. There's still an outstanding warrant for his arrest here. While he was doing time Molly divorced him, changed her name and moved to New York."

"So you think he came after her?" asked Adam.

"Looks that way. Apparently he wasn't happy at being abandoned by the missus and was very vocal about it. And that's not all. He's got a younger brother - Oscar Mullet. A few priors for public disturbance, brawling, B&E, but nothing recent. He could be your Invisible Man"

As he spoke Adam brought up a second photograph. Everyone could see the family likeness, both heavy set, square jawed, though the elder brother definitely had the harder look. Jo walked up to the screens, quickly read through them shaking her head in dismay. Both over 6 feet tall, muscular, not people to be messed with.

"These guys look as tough as they come. I can't believe that Mac would go after them on his own. He's unarmed, no phone, no way of calling for back-up. And it's been over 2 hours since Molly was killed. Why hasn't he called in?" The frustration and fear in her voice was evident.

Don sat down heavily in the chair next to Adam and squeezed his eyes closed before opening them to stare at Adam who was gazing out of the window at the inclement weather outside and spoke as though thinking out loud.

"It's really cold out there. He must be frozen without his coat and scarf."

Jo took a deep breath. "Alright. We have to assume that Mac has gone after Jethro Mullet. "

"Wait" interrupted Sheldon. "If Mac went after Bag Man, I mean Jethro, he may not have realised that Oscar wasn't out for the count. What if Oscar got the jump on him?"

Jo raised her hands. "Let's not jump to conclusions. We need to find out where they went after leaving that alley. Adam, see if you can find any security camera footage in the vicinity that will give us a clue as to where they might have gone. Sheldon, Lindsay, get onto the clothes from the vic and see if we can definitively tie her murder to either of the brothers. "

Jo broke off as Flack's phone rang. She watched intently as he frowned, nodded, answered okay and thanked the caller.

"There's one more thing. Molly had a five year old son called Jacob. My guys have checked. He's not with his regular sitter and they've checked against other numbers in her phone book." He paused. "It looks like we've got two missing persons.'


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Ok guys – You've got to see this." Adam didn't pause before turning back to the AV lab. Jo and Don jumped from their seats and followed him.

"The resolution isn't great but … this is a traffic surveillance camera from two blocks over. Now watch ..." Jo and Don squinted, narrowing their eyes as they tried to make out the blurred images of traffic and people.

" What are we looking for Adam? Can you zoom in ?"

"Wait, here it comes – there! Adam froze the picture and zoomed in. It's Bag Man, I mean Jethro Mullet." The picture froze to a grainy image of a man clasping a large bundle weaving in between the cars.

"Can we positively identify him as Jethro?" asked Jo.

"I can't get any facial details but the approximate height, weight and physiognomy match his file. But this is what is really interesting..." Adam grabbed the mouse and a portion of the image was enlarged further. He looked hopefully at Jo and Don pointing to the 'bag' that the man was carrying.

"Oh my! Are those ..." exclaimed Jo only to be interrupted by Don.

"Shoes! He's not carrying a bag – he's got the kid. Mac didn't abandon Molly. He left her to go after Jacob."

A sudden noise made all three jump. Sheldon Hawkes stood in the doorway looking ashen, his anger and incomprehension at Mac abandoning Molly dissipating as he took this new information. No one said anything as he recovered his composure. "Sid called. He said Molly was killed with a four inch, double-bladed hunting knife with an oval hilt." He placed a photograph of the wound on the table in front of them together with a photograph of the presumed murder weapon. "It's too early for DNA results but I checked the blood types. There are two samples on the lid; one type corresponds to Oscar Mullet's and the other to Mac's. The blood in Molly's hair could also be Mac's so it looks like he's injured …."

"Well he doesn't look too bad." chirped Adam confidently as he turned back to the computer, his belief in his boss unwavering. He tapped another key and video rolled. Just as Jethro Mullet reached the other side of the road and headed away from the camera, another form emerged from the left of the screen and proceeded to dodge traffic. Everyone flinched at a near miss with a cab but there was no mistaking Mac as he half fell across the hood of the cab and slid to a halt on the far side scanning the street. It was clear from his body language that he had spotted Jethro just as he turned into an side street further up but rather than following Mac turned in the opposite direction and ducked into a shop.

"What the hell...?" exclaimed Don. Adam and Jo exchanged confused looks.

"Can we see if Oscar followed him?" asked Sheldon.

"Er oh! I haven't run it that far. I stopped when I got to Mac..." stammered Adam. He hit play once more. A few minutes of film went past and they watched as the traffic lights changed and traffic slowed. Just as the traffic started up a man staggered out from the left hand side of the screen straight into the path of a car. He rolled off the hood and straight onto the side of the road. He didn't move.

"I gotta make a call." Don flung over his shoulder as he lifted his phone to his ear, Danny's words from earlier ringing in his ears "_I gotta go. Car accident two blocks over._". Jo, Sheldon and Adam could hear him requesting information on the accident and the state of the victim.

"Why did Mac duck into that store?" asked Adam.

"Well he didn't call for backup and he didn't come out again. I dunno. A shortcut?" suggested Sheldon.

Adam tapped a few keys and the image on the screen displayed a 3D map of the area. He rotated the image to give an aerial view.

"Huh. Whatta you know?A shortcut. Mac must know the city like the back of his hand." Adam was most definitely impressed. The back of the store gave onto another alley that ran parallel to the street that Jethro had taken, both routes heading towards the riverside park.

"Ok." Don ducked back into the room. "The vic from the car accident fits the description of Oscar Mullet. He was taken to General in serious condition. He's currently in surgery but get this … his drivers licence gave his name as Oscar Weber residing at the same address as Molly! He also had a number of cards from Moonlighters, a nightclub only one block from the crime scene. Seems he was working there as a barman cum bouncer. The owner says he is a good worker and, I quote, a reliable family man with a wife and five year old kid."

Jo frowned and she exchanged looks with Sheldon. "So this means ..."

"... that while Jethro was in prison Oscar and Molly took off together "

"...and so Jacob could be their son..."

"Somehow Jethro discovers Molly is in New York with his brother and confronts her."

"She runs taking Jacob with her to get away from Jethro...but how does Oscar come into the picture?"

"She called him." Don and Adam were so intent on listening to the exchange, their heads flicking between Sheldon and Jo like spectators awatching tennis match that they failed to notice Lindsay enter the room.

"I just processed her cell phone. The last call made before she died was to Oscar at the club and I found this in the side pocket of her purse." Lindsay held out a photograph of Molly, Oscar and Jacob, a happy, relaxed family pose. She stepped up to the screen and expanded the map that Adam had used. "I think she was going to meet him half way and she cut down the alley towards Moonlighters. I can't imagine it would have been too difficult for Jethro to catch up with her carrying a 5 year old. I mean I couldn't run that far with Lucy."

"I'm getting the picture but why did Mac and Oscar fight?" Don looked at the others. "Mistaken identity? And where the hell is Mac now?"

The answer to that question was to be forthcoming as Lindsay's phone began to ring. A smile came to her face as she saw Danny's picture on the screen. She smiled an apology and began to turn away as she answered but came abruptly to a stop. "Oh my God. How long ago? And there's no sign of..." her voice trailed away to a whisper "No I'll tell them. You be careful. Okay. Yeah you too. Bye." The others could only watch as her hand fell to her side, her head dropping so her hair covered her face.

"Lindsay?"

"A couple of uni's were investigating some blood stains on a public call box in the Riverside park when a late night jogger came up to report a fight between 2 men. It seems that both men went over into the river. The description he gave sound like Jethro and Mac..."

"Did he see the boy? Jacob? What happened to …...I mean is there any sign of ….?" Jo's questions tumbled over one another as fear began to clutch at her stomach. She began to feel panic for the first time since she learned that Mac was involved. He could take care of himself she kept telling herself but her alarm was growing with each minute. Mac was no longer a young man. He was up against an armed fugitive and the night was getting colder by the minute. What if …..she couldn't go there. Gathering herself together she asked the one question on everyone's mind.

"Is there any sign of Mac?" Jo knew the answer before Lindsay responded and her heart sank.

"No, none."


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N : at time of writing I have not seen season 8 so assumed Danny was a sergeant but now realise that this may not be the case. Apologies.**  
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**Chapter 5**

Danny Messer addressed the group of police officers standing before him. "I need a thorough search. Use your flashlights. Every corner. According to the witness they fell into the water there." He turned to point back towards the bridge in the distance.

"This took place 30 minutes ago so they would have been washed downstream in this direction. I want you two to go back upstream towards the bridge, you two check from here downstream, the rest of you come with me."

He set off a light jog as the officers began the search. He stationed more officers 200 yards further down. "Be sure to check for broken branches, anything that could indicate someone has pulled themselves from the water."

Danny's voice came across as firm and authoritative but inside he felt anything but. He carried on jogging positioning officers every 200 yards. He joined the last group just as a black Avalanche pulled up lights flashing. He instructed his officers to continue as he approached his old team.

"Anything?" asked Jo breathlessly as she hurried up to him, her face betraying the strain.

"We've already got officers posted on the other side. We've done a cursory check on the first few hundred yards and nothing … we doing a more thorough search." As he spoke he removed his hat and ran his hand across his head. The cold wind caught his hair and he shivered.

Sheldon took note and shook his head. The temperature had dropped another couple of degrees from when he first approached the crime scene. The river temperature must be close to freezing. He held out little hope, all logic telling him that no one could survive such conditions even if Mac had done cold weather training in the marines.

Don's phone rang interrupting Sheldon's train of thought. He glanced over at his friend hoping against hope that it was good news.

Don's face fell. He closed his eyes for a moment. "Do we have a positive id?"

Sheldon could hear the quiver in his voice.

"Are you next to the body now?" Don asked. Jo and Sheldon gasped. "Look under his shirt. Does he have a scar on his left pectoral just over his heart?"

In the few moments of silence from the other end of the line, the sounds of the city around seemed to amplify, filtering through the trees of the park that bordered the river sounding unnaturally loud.

"No" Don released the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. "Ok, it could be Jethro Mullet. Call the ME. We'll be there as quick as we can. Do not stop the search."

At the last phrase everyone heaved a sigh of relief but the tension returned as they realised Mac was still missing... no one was prepared to add presumed dead.

Adam's camera flashed as he photographed the phone box. He placed his camera on the ground as he took his kit and dusted the handset for prints. He placed a particularly clear print on the screen of his hand held remote finger print console and waited for a result. He also took a swab of the blood that coated the handset and shivered – not from the cold, biting wind but from the thought that it could be Mac's blood he was testing. Why hadn't Mac called he wondered. Idly he lifted the receiver to his ear and listened. No dial tone. He tapped the cradle a few times and listened again. No dial tone. He was sure that Mac had tried to use the phone, a fact that confirmed when his console bleeped to confirm a match on the print. Glancing at the panel behind the phone and the smudge left there he could see in his mind's eye where Mac must have punched the wall in frustration at finding the phone out of order.

Adam replaced his equipment in his bag and turned around. What would Mac do? Where would he go? Adam glanced towards the city and the warm inviting lights. That's where he would have gone but would Mac? He recalled Sheldon's words, "_But then Mac has to get his man doesn't he?_"

Adam turned away and stared across the park towards the river. A cold blast of wind hit his face and sent a pile of leaves swirling up into the air. No Mac would never have given up. He'd have pursued Jethro Mullet to the ends of the earth in order to ensure the safety of the boy. As the leaves floated back to the ground Adam's eyes followed them his heart sinking as they fell. It was then that he noticed a small patch of blue on the ground near a park bench. Grabbing his flashlight he pointed it at the object, his curiosity piqued at the incongruous colour among the leaves. He approached the bench in a few strides and noticed a smear of blood on the back of the bench. He bent down and picked up the item. A small blue rabbit with wonky eyes and a well sucked ear looked forlornly back at him. Adam ran his flashlight along the ground. Sweeping aside the leaves he could see scuff marks. He examined the bench and noticed a fresh mark in the paint where a knife had gouged out a chunk of wood.

"Someone fought here." he said to himself. He moved closer to the bushes behind the bench. Several branches were broken. There was blood on the tree trunk. Something glinted dully under his flashlight. Reaching down under the bush Adam withdrew a knife, a four inch, double-bladed hunting knife with an oval hilt.

Adam looked at the evidence and tried to visualise the scene. Mac catching up with Jethro. They scuffled, fought. Jethro dropped the knife. No Mac must have disarmed him for it to have skittered under the bush. Adam smiled. "_Way to go Boss!_"

He glanced back at the phone box and pictured Mac making his way across to the phone. He looked at the smudge on the back of the park bench and positioned his own hand over it. It was though Mac had gripped the back of the seat in order to sit down. Adam looked closer at the edge of the seat. Sticky fingerprints. Small sticky fingerprints! Mac and Jacob had sat down right here.

Finally some good news. He grabbed his phone to call Jo.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Adam hurried towards the flashing lights of the Avalanche and the squad car. Flashing his ID he jogged up to Jo and Don as divers brought a body out of the boat.

"Hey guys! Is that Jeth…." Adam broke off abruptly scarcely able to take in what he was seeing. The divers were busy laying a second body next to the one already being examined by Hawkes. Adam paled visibly, his stomach clenching as a wave of nausea rolled over him. Jo couldn't move, her arms clasped tight to her body, one hand over her mouth.

Sheldon's face was grim. With his back to the others he examined the second body. Shining his light onto the man's face, he flinched almost falling backwards something that did not go unnoticed by the others observing him. He rose and taking a deep breathe, he turned to face the others.

"Well this is definitely Jethro Mullet." he said shining the light on the first body before moving it to the second. "but who the hell is this?" There was an audible gasp. Jo, Don and Adam couldn't believe their eyes. Whoever it was it most definitely wasn't Mac. The pudgy round face, full lips and moustache a dead give away.

Don moved a little closer and changed his angle of view. "Wait a minute. I know this guy."

The others turned towards him in astonishment. "What?"

"Benny! Benny Waters!"

"And who is Benny Waters?" asked Jo while Sheldon and Adam continued to stare at Don open-mouthed.

"I've had a couple of run-ins with him before. Benny Waters is … was … probably New York's most inept bounty hunter ... Oh! excuse me ... Fugitive Recovery Agent." Don's voice dripped with sarcasm. "He's actually a night-watchman over at the railway yard but he always fancied himself as a private eye and he dabbled in bounty hunting on the side. Not too successfully either. Heaven knows how he got his licence!"

Jo was shaking her head in disbelief. "This is crazy!"

Sheldon stared at the corpse before him. "You know, now I come I think of it … he was at the crime scene earlier. I saw him standing at the tape before a uni moved him on."

"He must have been after Jethro for the outstanding warrant. Well it looks like he bit off more than he could chew this time." said Don sadly. "But this still doesn't answer our questions..."

"What happened to Jacob and where the hell is Mac?" The words had barely left Jo's mouth when her phone began to ring. It was as though some higher power had heard her plea.

"Danville. Yes, Yes. Where? Ok. When? …... WHAT? …... But that's …...Well is he …... okay we'll be right there. Thank you." As she spoke, her face seemed to display every emotion going from incredulity to incomprehension to downright fury. But it was the relief in Jo's voice told them all they needed to know. Don and Adam hung on every word.

"Mac?" asked Sheldon, daring to let a half-smile show for the first time since he'd left Camille after a dinner that now seemed like an eternity away.

Jo took a deep breath and smiled her best sickly-sweet smile and said in the calmest controlled voice she could muster.

"Sheldon would be be so kind as to finish up here and the join us at General as soon as you can. It seems that an hour ago, an unidentified man carrying a small boy staggered into A&E. He claimed he was a member of the NYPD but his state of … and I quote …. general dishevelment, confused state and slurred speech made this seem unlikely. So they didn't report it. It was only when a more competent medical professional examined him and noticed a rather large knife wound and checked his temperature that they concluded it was an early onset hypothermia combined with blood loss and exhaustion and took the appropriate action. So we have to go now because ….." she paused.

"I'm going to strangle someone!" she screamed. She spun on her heel. "Incompetent idiots. Vagrant indeed...drunk..." the rest of her words were lost as she stormed off towards the car.

Sheldon was unable to answer after Jo's outburst and could only watch as Jo took off towards the Avalanche with Don in hot pursuit. Adam glanced at him, his face a mass of confusion but he seemed suddenly to come to a decision and took after Jo and Don. Sheldon shook his head, grinned, grabbed his kit and started to process. He wondered which poor soul was about to feel the wrath of Jo Danville.

Elspeth Granger had worked as a nurse for close on 20 years and she a good memory for faces so when she saw the dark haired woman stride through the swing doors, her long purple coat flaring out behind her like the train of a queen's state robes, she didn't need to see the gold NYPD badge hung around her neck to know she was here for the man in 104. She smiled to herself as she noted her "_royal_"visitor seemed to have even brought two menservants scurrying in her wake.

"104. End of the corridor." she announced raising her left hand. If the female detective was surprised at the nurse's mind-reading powers she didn't show it as she barely broke her stride, one of her "menservants" pausing to mutter a thank you before hurrying on. Elspeth was glad that it was a slow night as she didn't want to miss this for the world.

"This is going to be good." she whispered to the young nurse standing at her shoulder. And they both hurried down the corridor in time to see Jo Danville enter the glass windowed cubicle.

Mac Taylor's head was pounding. It felt like the world was spinning too fast. He had at last stopped shivering but was glad of the heated blankets. He had closed his eyes for a few minutes but remained tense refusing to give into the exhaustion that was becoming more apparent with every passing second. When he became aware of a presence in the room he jerked forward only to relax as he saw Jo enter the room followed by Don and Adam of all people.

"Hey!" he croaked in greeting, a soft shy smile spreading across his face.

Jo came to an abrupt halt causing Don to almost bash into her.

"Hey?" she spluttered not giving Mac the chance to say anything else. "Hey? Is that all you've got to say for yourself?" she fumed as she took in his pale features, a deep cut bisecting his left eyebrow and a large ugly purple bruise marring his chin just under his swollen lower lip. The rest of his injuries were hidden under what appeared to be swathes of blankets making his body look abnormally large.

Mac looked taken aback, his next words frozen on lips. "Jo, I ...Sh! Don't ….."

"You are unbelievable Mac Taylor!" spat Jo, cutting him off. "What on earth do you think you were doing? You were supposed to be having an evening off. Do you even know what that means? Are you incapable of just going home and doing what normal people do?"

"No! You have to go out playing superhero, chasing bad guys. Do you know what we've been through? We find your prints and your blood in an alley. We discover you've taken off after a dangerous fugitive. We're unable to interview the only other witness because he's in surgery. We find a trail of blood stains in the park. We have had no word for hours. You don't call. We fish bodies out of the river all the while thinking you were dead and all you can say is … is ... hey?"

Jo voice trailed off as the hours of worry and frustration finally dissipated. Mac sat immobile too stunned to answer. Just as he opened his his mouth to form an answer, he was saved from doing so as the "mountain" of blankets began to move and rise up. Jo's mouth formed a perfect O as a little mop of dark hair popped out from under the covers.

"Mister Mac?"

"It's okay buddy. Nothing to worry about. You're quite safe " Mac lifted his bandaged right hand out from under the covers, his fingers brushing the hair off his young friends face. "These are my friends." he explained.

"Huh! Cute!" giggled Adam.

At Jo's and Don's look of surprise, Nurse Elspeth Granger whispered. "Poor little thing was so scared we didn't like to separate them. His father's in recovery at the moment doing quite well. We thought we'd reunite them tomorrow but for the time being he seemed happier with Detective Taylor. He's been through a lot."

Jo wasn't sure whether the elderly nurse's last statement referred to Jacob or Mac but her face softened at the adorable picture in front of her. It was then that Adam remembered what he had in his pocket. He approached the bedside and smiled at the sleepy little boy.

"Hey there. I think I have something that belongs to you."

Adam reached into his pocket and brought out the small blue rabbit he had found in the park. The boy's face lit up at though his birthday, Christmas and Easter had all arrived at once.

"Bun-buns!" he squealed, grabbing the toy and thrusting it into Mac's face for him to see.

"There you see! I told you my team were the best." he whispered glancing briefly at Adam. "Now go back to sleep." Mac continued to stroke his hair gently as Jacob snuggled back down into the crook of his arm.

Mac smiled at Adam who felt a surge of pride at the compliment. However the smile was fleeting as Mac's face turned serious once more. "Did you get him?" asked Mac quietly.

Adam shook his head. "No the river did." Mac frowned as he took in the information. He swallowed not wanting to ask the next question.

"And Molly? Did she make it?" he whispered.

Adam shook his head. At the look of pure anguish that crossed Mac's face, Adam placed his hand gently on Mac's shoulder as he continued. "You did the right thing. Why don't you and Jacob get some sleep Boss. We'll take it from here and we'll fill you in in the morning."

For a few seconds Mac buried his face in the top of his young charges hair and then he raised his eyes to Adam's face. The quiet concern was something he was not used to seeing from the young man in front of him. Mac attempted to smile and swallowed. "Thanks Adam."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N : Thank you so much kind reviewers. I am glad you are enjoying this. Hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!  
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**Chapter 7**

The next morning, Don found Mac sitting up in bed nursing a cup of coffee.

"Hey Mac, How you feeling?" Don didn't know why he bothered asking as the ubiquitous 'I'm fine' was all the answer he received.

"I need a statement. I have most of it. I just need you to fill in a few gaps. You up to it?" Mac nodded and gestured to the chair. Don sat down and opened his note book.

"Okay, we know you were on your way to Cozy's." At Mac's look of surprise, Don added "Lindsay worked that one out and your guitar is safely at the lab by the way. She and Danny will be by later. So … you saw Jethro Mullet stab Molly?"

Mac flinched and turned away for a moment. He sighed deeply before speaking, his voice soft and low. "No. I heard a scream and saw her pulling at his coat. She was yelling at Jacob to hide." Mac closed his eyes for second as he recalled her desperate pleas for Jethro not to hurt Jacob.

"It was only when I intervened that I realised he had a knife. I disarmed him and the knife spun away among the dumpsters." As he spoke he looked at his bandaged hand as if to remind himself how that injury had occurred. Don nodded, noting that that explained the blood on the trash can lid and in Molly's hair and waited for Mac to continue.

"Jethro went for the knife. I was going after him but Molly grabbed my sleeve begging me to help Jacob." Mac hesitated before continuing. "She collapsed into my arms … I lifted her and placed her against the dumpster by the wall. It was then I saw the stab wound. I was about to staunch the flow but I heard Jacob cry. Then I was jumped from behind."

Mac suddenly looked away, running his hand down the back of head as he did when he was frustrated. It was as though he was trying to conjure up the memories … or perhaps trying to erase them. Don could tell he was angry, not with the brothers but with himself.

"Jethro's brother Oscar?" Don prompted.

Mac nodded "I didn't know that at the time. I just reacted. We fought. He pulled me over backwards. I grabbed the first thing that came to hand."

"The trash can lid?"

"Yeah, he seemed out for the count. I was stunned to find that it wasn't Jethro and that he was nowhere in sight. I went back to Molly, took off my coat and tried to stem the blood ….." Mac broke off. Don looked at him in concern. In all the years he'd known Mac he'd never seen him lose it so he was surprised to see Mac barely holding it together. "I should have stayed with her Don. I should have called it in myself but … but Jethro suddenly appeared from among the dumpsters with the boy in his arms and the knife ... Don she begged me …"

Don could see the guilt and the regret in Mac's face before he closed his eyes, his left hand covering his face as his thumb and forefinger pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Mac, don't do this. You couldn't save them both. It was a hard call."

Don could see that Mac was struggling to keep his composure but he didn't know what else to say. Fortunately he was saved by the arrival of Adam.

"Hey Boss. I ..er .. I just wanted to bring you your new phone. I put your SIM card in it." he approached nervously. "Where's Jacob?"

His interruption gave Mac the few seconds he needed to compose himself. "Adam. That's great thanks! Jo's taken Jacob to see his dad."

Don consulted his notes once more glad that the moment had passed and Mac seemed in control once more. "Okay so we know the next bit thanks to Adam. He found a traffic cam showing your impressive stunt with the cab." Adam beamed.

"Awesome! How did you know to cut through the shop?" asked Adam.

"It was my first solo crime scene. Robbery gone bad, the perp made his escape through the back door into the alley. I thought that I could cut Jethro off by the park but I collided with a guy emptying beer dregs into the drain out back."

Don sniggered. "Oh so that's why they though you were a D&D?"

"Huh?" asked Adam.

Mac's cheeks coloured. "Oh yeah, that!"

Don turned to Adam. "You should have heard Jo let rip into the new triage nurse about that one. Seems that he assumed dishevelled appearance, inability to walk in a straight line, slurred speech, combined with smell of beer was obviously a drunk and disorderly vagrant with his bundle and not an NYPD police officer with hypothermia and knife wounds who had just walked six blocks with a five year old kidnap victim. So he pushed them into a treatment room without further investigation."

Mac cleared his throat evidently embarrassed and desperate to change the topic of conversation. "Six blocks? I don't remember that bit. I remember getting to the park and panicking as I'd lost sight of Jethro. I thought he must have got ahead of me but by the time I reached the other side of the park I knew that wasn't possible. So I doubled back..."

After a moment he continued, "I remember hearing Jacob crying. I knew I had to keep looking …." he paused in thought but it was Adam who continued for him.

"You caught up with him by the park bench near the phone booth. I found blood and the knife in the bushes."

Mac nodded. "He'd put Jacob down by the bench. He was angry, pacing up and down. I tackled him and had just got the knife off him when this crazy guy comes up pointing a revolver and shouting "Stop in the name of the law!" of all things. The distraction was enough for Jethro to throw me off." Mac rubbed his jaw as recalled the elbow to the jaw that made him see stars. "He must have taken off with this guy in pursuit. I thought I heard shots but I couldn't leave Jacob ..." Mac's voice trailed off as he recalled seeing the little boy's tear-stained face looking up at him from behind the park bench.

"You tried to use the phone but it wasn't working." prompted Adam.

Mac's voice took on a pensive tone. "Yes. There was a coat on the ground. I wrapped it around Jacob. He was only wearing pyjamas. There was blood on them. He was shaking. It was cold. So cold..."

Don realised that at this point the adrenaline must have worn off and that Mac must have started to succumb to his injuries. He made some notes as Mac continued. "I remember thinking that I must get him to a hospital. I remember heading to the north of the park ... and …" he lloked at Don. "... to be honest, after that everything's a little fuzzy."

Don filled in the rest :"The crazy guy was Benny Waters, Fugitive Recovery Agent." Don made little quotes in the air. It suddenly dawned on Mac who he was. Don continued "Yeah that Benny Waters. He must have caught Jethro in the thigh with that pea-shooter of his, decided to tackle him but somehow they both ended up in the river. And you … huh … you walk six blocks while we're out there dredging the river for your sorry ass!"

Don grinned at Mac pleased to see a small smile on his face as he muttered "Sorry!" He looked totally drained. Don shook his head in resignation. "Mac get some rest. I'll get this typed up and we can smooth out the details later."

"Yeah and perhaps you can show us that cool Ninja move with the trash can lid?" asked Adam enthusiastically. Mac stared at Adam as though he'd gone completely mad and, he and Don could only watch in astonishment as Adam drew a half circle with his arms mimicking a kung fu chop that almost collided with the nurse entering the room. The items on the metal tray she was carrying wobbled precariously.

"Er oh, sorry, I was … er … was just …." he stammered.

"Leaving?" suggested the nurse.

"Yeah! Absolutely. I'll … er … catch you later boss." Adam decided that a rapid exit was his best move. Don chuckled as he nodded his goodbyes to Mac. "I'm going to go see Oscar. I'll be back later." he mouthed.

Elspeth Granger continued to watch Adam as he and Don left. She placed the tray on the side table, pulled out a pillow from under her arm, laid it on the edge of the bed and covered it with a cloth indicating that Mac should place his injured hand on it. She sat down on the edge of the bed and slipped on some gloves. "He works for you?" she asked.

"Yes he does. He's ..." Mac smiled. "... a genius. I don't know what I'd do without him."

The nurse looked at him for a moment. "Mmm. They say genius lies on the verge of insanity."

Mac laughed. "So I've been told."


	8. Epilogue

**Chapter 8 - Epilogue**

Jo Danville stood by the hospital bed watching the small boy run a toy car along the edge of the chair. She turned back to the man in the bed with a slightly guilty feeling. The first time she looked at his police file she had assumed he was a criminal like his brother but Oscar Mullet, or Oscar Weber as he was now called, was nothing like his brother.

"He's so like his mother." he said in a soft voice looking adoringly at his son. "I can't believe that she's gone." The pain in his voice was evident.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." answered Jo. "You have a wonderful son."

"He was the light of Molly's life. She would do anything for him." Oscar took a deep breath. "I want to thank Detective Taylor for getting him back. He's going to be all right isn't he? I didn't mean to hurt him. You have to believe me. I expected to see Jethro. I just saw red. I didn't think...I just …..."

At his obvious signs of distress, Jo interrupted him and placed her hand over Oscars reassuringly. "No, no. There's nothing to worry about. A couple more days and Detective Taylor will be released. He said he will come by and see you and Jacob then. We're not pressing charges. We know that you mistook him for your brother in the heat of the moment and he apologises for crowning you with the trash can lid." Jo grinned.

Oscar chuckled ruefully and rubbed his forehead "Yeah. Didn't see that one coming!"

"Are you and Jacob going to be all right?" asked Jo in a soft voice, her face full of concern.

Oscar frowned almost as though he was taken aback by her question. "Yes. Molly's sister is going to take Jacob until I can get out of here. We'll manage." and then after a slight pause. "Thank you Detective."

"For what?" asked Jo.

"For treating me like … well … you know, like a regular guy. I've got a record and I've done things I'm not proud of but I'm not like my brother. I love my son and I loved Molly..."

"I know you did and I can see how much you care for your son." answered Jo as the little boy in question popped his head over the side of the bed and reached up to his father. "And I know that's it's going to be hard but you'll be all right." Oscar smiled his thanks and turned his attention to the little boy at his side.

Jo smiled to herself as she left father and son together. "Now Mac Taylor …."

"Mac, be reasonable. Another couple of days and you'll be good to go." Sheldon Hawkes was attempting to use his _doctor-knows-best_ voice to placate the man in the bed in front of him. He knew that Mac had to be in more pain than he was letting on.

"Come on Mac. There's nothing going on at the office that we can't handle." added Jo.

"I know that but I don't need to be here. I'll be fine at home." insisted Mac. Elspeth Granger merely stood with her arms folded glaring at her patient. "I'm fine!" he added for her benefit. As her glare only deepened Mac figured that she still wasn't falling for it.

"Don't worry! I got this!" whispered Don to Jo and Sheldon as he entered the room with a mobile phone to his ear. He approached Mac's bed and held out the phone. Mac looked perplexed and slowly reached for the phone as Don smiled and nodded encouragingly.

Jo and Sheldon looked at each other and even the nurse's glare subsided as curiosity got the better of her.

Mac slowly raised the phone to his ear as Don continued to smile at him. "Hello!" A distant voice could be heard from the phone but the words were indistinct. Mac shut his eyes and winced as he listened.

"I'm fi...feeling a lot better." he grimaced squeezing his eyes tighter at his slip of the tongue. "I was not going to use the f word." he lied. "No... well yes! Not that many...okay 17." he ground out.

Jo glanced at Sheldon in confusion.

"Stitches" he whispered pointing to his abdomen to indicate the knife wound that Mac had sustained. "Not including the ones in his head and his hand."

"Only a couple.." whined Mac.

"Fractured ribs." Sheldon whispered for Jo's benefit.

"It's not that serious..." continued Mac.

"The hypothermia or the physical exhaustion ?" asked Sheldon who immediately rewarded with a famous Taylor glare. However the glare didn't last long as Mac's face turned to shock, his eyes widening.

"You wouldn't." he breathed into the phone.

Again Mac grimaced and rolled his eyes. "Fine." he spat.

"I promise." he hissed through gritted teeth. "What?" Outrage pictured all over his face, he looked like he was about to crush the phone with his bare hand.

"Agh! I…promise...I...will..stay...in...the ...hospital...till...the...doctor...says...I...can ...leave. Satisfied now?"

Without saying another word and without even looking at him, Mac handed the phone back to Don who was now grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"See he can be reasonable." said Jo exchanging smiles with Mac's nurse.

Sheldon looked at Don questioningly wondering who on earth had that kind of power over Mac. Don put the phone to his ear as Mac leaned back into the pillows looking distinctly unhappy.

"Yep." he started. "I appreciate it ... No worries ... okay talk soon. … Bye Stella!"

Jo could only stare in amusement as Sheldon and Don tried desperately to stifle their laughter.

"Don't you have work to do?" Mac exploded suddenly sitting up and gesturing towards the door. However, any dignity and authority that should have accompanied that phrase disappeared instantaneously as the movement caused his fractured ribs to move and his stitches to pull. He hissed in pain, his bandaged hand immediately moving to protect his ribs as he folded in on himself.

Mac's nurse placed her hand gently on her patient's shoulder easing him back onto the pillows.

"Now about that pain medication Detective Taylor?" she smiled.

_The End!_

_Thank you for reading!_


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